


I want to fall in love with you softly.

by Grollow



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: First Crush, Fluff, Getting Together, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Other, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, no negative comments please, not sure if i need to tag anything else tbh, nothing bad happens in here LMAO, nothing but good feelings all around
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:06:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24699535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grollow/pseuds/Grollow
Summary: The one in which Hollow has a crush.
Relationships: Grimm & The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel, Grimm/The Hollow Knight | Pure Vessel
Comments: 41
Kudos: 202





	I want to fall in love with you softly.

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Excessive use of the words "Feelings", "Gifts", and "Flowers".
> 
> This fic is 100% PURE self-indulgence. I like this ship a LOT, okay, and I wish there were more fluff for it. But as they say, I gotta be the change I wanna see in the world, so here we are! I hope you enjoy it anyway if you do end up reading it.
> 
> This is not beta'd. I am my own beta, and if there are any mistakes in here then I guess I've disappointed the both of us.
> 
> There are not bug terminologies in this fic i.e thorax ect. I'm really bad at using any anatomy terms that aren't human lol.
> 
> I really hope I did all the characters justice in this fic. I'm actually extremely nervous about posting this haha.

It started off as a feeling.

Many things start off as feelings for Hollow. They spent so long not feeling anything, _refusing_ to feeling anything, that anytime they do feel something it feels as though they're experiencing it for the first time.

Sometimes their emotions are overwhelming. Sometimes they're underwhelming. But it's all about balance, and the longer Hollow lets themself stew in their emotions, the easier it gets to deal with over time.

There's a knock on the front door in the living room.

"Ghost, they're here!" Hornet's voice calls out, very muffled, down the hallway. Hollow guesses that "they" must be the Troupe Master and his child. They remember their sister talking with Ghost yesterday about them coming over today, and almost immediately after her announcement, they could hear the telltale pitter-patter of their small sibling running down the hall towards her voice. Hollow lets out a purr and settles deeper in their blankets. They love their siblings so much.

Time passes, and they have almost completely fallen asleep when there's a knock on their bedroom door. When there's nothing but silence after it and it doesn't open right away, they get confused. The only sibling that values privacy in the house is Hornet, but normally she asks them to open the door at least. They get up anyway, slowly making their way to the other side of the room and opening the door, revealing the Troupe Master himself on the other side.

"Greetings, Hollow," Grimm says, bowing low at them respectfully. Hollow, who had been raised to bow in response as a form of politeness, bows back, but it comes out a bit more stiff than intended. No one's bowed at them in a long time.

"I hope this isn't a bad time for you," he says, straightening up and beginning to dig through his cloak for something. "I came to give you a gift."

They feel a jolt of excitement run through their body. They _love_ gifts. They always have.

Back a long time ago when their Father was still alive, and the Kingdom was still thriving, and they lived through each and everyday with an aura of certainty about who they are and what their purpose was, they were popular.

It's an embarrassing thing to think about, and Hollow is much too humble to ever personally consider themself as such, but Hornet likes to tease and remind them of all the adoration and idolization that they received regularly from the people of Hallownest.

They remember their very first gift - a small and shy looking ladybug had timidly approached them one day as they were walking through the City of Tears, trying to get to the King's Station to use the Stag to go back to the White Palace. "This is for you," was all he had said to them, hands shaking as he handed them a small white box before hurrying past them, not wanting to wait for a response.

They had looked at it, not quite sure on what they should do with it. Logically, they know they should have discarded it, or at the very least gave it back to him. A Pure Vessel has no need for distractions such as gifts. They're not allowed to be curious about the contents inside, nor are they allowed to open said box without the permission from either the bug himself, or their Father.

They weren't allowed to indulge in anything, and they weren't permitted to think about it. So they didn't. They didn't think at all when they had carefully opened the box and pulled out a bracelet.

It was a relatively simple charm bracelet: It was silver and metal, with charms attached all around it. There were six charms in total - five of them were a representation of one of the Five Great Knights, and astonishingly, the sixth charm looked to be a small replica of them. More specifically, of their statue built in the heart of the City.

They examined the bracelet for far longer than they should have, before ultimately putting it on their wrist, and resuming their strides towards home.

They knew they should have returned the box to the ladybug whose name they never got to learn, but it is also impolite to refuse gifts, they decided, and Pure Vessel had be raised to be nothing less than polite.

But they're not Pure Vessel anymore. They are Hollow, and Hollow has also decided that they love gifts, and they will accept gifts because they love them, and that it no longer matters to them whether they're polite about it or not.

(But they will be polite about it still, because that's how they were raised, and the thought of being rude gives them a bad feeling instead of a good one.)

Their excitement grows when Grimm finds what he was looking for, slowly pulling out something and holding it out for Hollow.

It was a white flower. Specifically, it was a white rose, the biggest rose that they have ever seen. It's overlapping petals were spread out impossibly far, and it was so bright it almost glowed. Even the stem was a pure, untainted, white color. It was beautiful.

"Do you like flowers?" Grimm asks, and Hollow nods as they carefully take the flower out of his hands and into their own. They've been gifted many different items in their life, but this is the first flower they've ever gotten, and none of their gifts were quite as pretty.

That's when they first felt it - a feeling. A certain, specific, _unknown_ feeling that creeps up and settles in their chest. It's light and fuzzy, so it's not a bad feeling, but they're confused about it.

It's _new._ They haven't felt this emotion, or anything close to it, ever. They don't know how to describe it, and they don't exactly know what _it_ is either, but they're not too concerned. It's a small feeling. It'll be gone by the time they wake up tomorrow.

"Are you aware of flower meanings?" Grimm asks them, seemingly pleased at Hollow's transfixed gaze upon the flower. They shake their head. "Would you like to know the meaning of this one?" They nod, intrigued.

"White roses usually represent a number of things: Purity, innocence, and youthfulness are the most common, although it has other meanings as well, such as young love, new beginnings, or," at this, Grimm's tone turns softer, and he lets out a surprisingly sweet grin. "My personal favorites: Eternal loyalty and everlasting love."

They look at him this time, and he continues as though he hadn't just done something extremely strange.

"This is all I wanted to talk to you about, unfortunately, and I really must be going now. I am thrilled to see that you've enjoyed my present, though I apologize if it is too... predictable. I can assure you that a simple flower wasn't my first choice of gift, but this seemed like the safest idea."

As he turns to leave, Grimm gives Hollow one last smile.

"I do hope we speak again soon, my friend. It is always a pleasure to see you." Then he's gone.

_Thump, thump, thump._

It started off as a feeling.

###### 

It's been a week since they've gotten the rose, and the feeling still hasn't gone away.

It fades away on its own, but every time they see the colors black and red together, or they spot the Troupe's tent in the distance, or they see the fire Hornet starts when preparing dinner, the feeling suddenly punches them in the chest.

They're all too aware that it seems to come back the strongest when they look at the flower itself - which is placed in the window sill of Hollow's room.

They still don't know what it is either. Are they sick? Are they dying? They're pretty sure they'd be feeling _bad_ if those were the cases, and it's not a bad feeling. Besides, they know what dying is like, and this is not it. It's not really _anything_. It just exists.

Still, maybe their sister can put a name to this emotion. She's the smartest person they know.

When they leave their room they find her sitting at the table in the kitchen, surrounded by honeycombs and scrapping the honey from them into one of the numerous jars that are also surrounding her. Their other two siblings were sitting on the couch in the living room, and their heart swells with affection when Ghost scrambles off of it after seeing them, running towards them with their arms held out, clearly wanting to be picked up.

"Good afternoon, Hollow." "Hello, sibling." Both Hornet and Ghoul greet simultaneously as Hollow bends down to obliged their tiny sibling's adorable request.

After picking them up and nuzzling their mask lovingly, they make haste towards the table while carrying them, already thinking of how they could sneak a few honeycombs in their mouth without their sister noticing.

"Here," she starts, scooping up a small pile of combs and setting it down in front of them as they settle in their seat across from her, resting Ghost in their lap. "I saved these ones for you."

Huh. It appears their plan had been foiled before they even had a chance to come up with one in the first place. No matter.

They pick up a large piece of honeycomb, breaking it in half and giving one of the halves to Ghost, who immediately starts nibbling on it happily. A moment later the chair in between them and Hornet scoots back, with Broken sitting down on it, grabbing a jar and a handful of combs and starts getting to work helping Hornet with filling the jars with honey.

Hollow breaks off a piece of their snack and pops it into their mouth, allowing their tongue to savor the sweet flavor of honey. As they eat, their thoughts drift back to Grimm's gift.

Why is something as simple as a _flower_ of all things causing them to react like this? They've received a countless amount of gifts, all ranging from various types - jewelry, love letters, dolls, food. One time someone tried to give them their own _molt_ as they were standing by the Tram with their Father. Pure Vessel had tried extremely hard to not react to that in disgust, almost straining themself in the process, but Hollow has to hold back a laugh when they recall the incredulous look on the Pale King's face at what he's just witnessed.

They also remember their Mother's laughter when their Father tells her the story later that day. It was light, and tinkling, and they had likened it to the sound of wind chimes at the time. That was a fond memory.

But still, none of these gifts had ever _instilled_ something like this in them before. Pure Vessel felt _nothing_ for those gifts. They merely kept every single present in a special drawer, which just so happened to be locked with a unique, handcrafted lock, out of _politeness._ Not because they liked them.

They wonder if they would have gotten the same light and fuzzy feeling had it been _Hollow_ who had received the gifts back then instead. Would they have felt anything if they had allowed themself to?

"-low? Hollow?"

They snap out of their thoughts to see Hornet and Ghoul both staring at them. They don't have to look down to know that Ghost is staring up at them as well.

"Are you alright?" Ghoul asks. "You've been zoned out for a minute."

They don't know how to respond, so they say the first thing that comes to mind.

"I think I'm dying." 

There's a pause.

"What?" Hornet looks taken aback, her eyes roaming over them for any noticeable injuries. "You look fine to me. Are you sure? Ghost?"

They feel two small hands cup the underside of their mask, holding it for a few seconds.

"No," Ghost answers before letting go. "Their void isn't being weird. They're fine."

"Are they sick?"

Again, Ghost touches them the same way as before, but this time only briefly. "No."

"Thank you," Hornet nods at them before turning her attention back to Hollow. "Since it appears that you are not dying, nor are you sick, then would you mind explaining what _is_ wrong? Are you okay?"

They shrug. "I don't know," they answer honestly.

"You don't know?" she repeats. "You don't know what's wrong, or you don't know if you're okay?"

They hold up one finger, singling the former. "Strange feeling."

"You have a strange feeling?" By the tone of her voice they can tell that she's getting more and more confused.

"It's a good and nice feeling. New emotion, I think." They try to clarify.

Hornet nods, but they can tell that she's not quite getting it yet. "So what you're saying is that you're experiencing a new emotion, and it feels strange, but it's also good?" They nod. "How long have you been feeling like this?"

They pause, a part of them suddenly getting very shy at the thought of mentioning Grimm. They shouldn't hide it from her, though, and they have no reason not to.

"A week," they answer. "Since the Troupe Master and his child came over."

"Grimm and Grimmchild?" She sounds surprised, but then her surprise turns slightly guilty. "He didn't do anything, did he? He told me that he had something to talk to you about, and _you_ specifically, so I told him which room you were in. I had no reason not to believe him, especially since he's proven to be trustworthy so far."

They hastily shake their head. "He gave me a rose."

"A... rose. A flower."

Hollow almost laughs - the look on Hornet's face is strikingly similar to the one their Father had at the random bug's molt all those years prior.

They notice movement to the side of them, and they turn to see Ghoul's shoulders shaking in actual laughter.

"It appears our dear sib-sib has gotten themself a crush on the Troupe Master!" Their shoulders shake harder. If they had a voice they'd be cackling.

_Sib-sib?_ Hollow feels an almighty urge to throw a Primal Aspid on them.

"Is that true, Hollow?" Hornet asks, shocked. They take note of the smile that appears in her voice. "Do you have a crush on Grimm?"

"What's a crush?" Both Hollow and Ghost ask at the same time.

"I'm gonna cry," Ghoul says as they bury their face in their hands. "Why is this so funny?"

Hollow has decided to secretly put the stickiest honey that they can find on their pillow later.

Ignoring them, Hornet continues talking to Hollow and Ghost. "That's right, you two have most likely never heard about crushes before, or experienced one for that matter."

"Until now," Ghoul interjects, having calmed down from their laughing fit.

"I will not hesitate in throwing you out of the window," she threatens them. "Let's see... A crush is where you have romantic feelings for somebody, but you're not in an actual relationship with them yet."

"Like Cornifer and Iselda?" Ghost asks.

"Yes and no - Cornifer and Iselda are in a relationship right now, but they were probably infatuated with one another before then. A crush."

Ghost nods, taking in her words seriously. "Like Sheo and Nailsmith?"

"Again, they are in a relationship, but it's likely they had a crush on each other too." Another nod.

"Like you and Lace?" Hollow asks innocently.

Hornet turns to scowl at them, but a deep pink blush spreads rapidly across her cheeks. Ghoul practically shrieks in silent laughter.

"You be quiet!" she snaps, pointedly ignoring the question. "How do _you_ know what a crush is, anyway?"

They quiet down, still letting out a few giggles. "Papa Oro's favorite hobby was gossiping about his brothers. I knew Sheo and his boyfriend were a thing before they _became_ a thing."

Their voices drown in the background as Hollow takes in all the information that was just said.

A crush. Infatuation. Are they truly infatuated with the Troupe Master from down the street? Were they permitted? They don't know. They don't think so.

But then they think about Grimm himself, and how sweet his voice had sounded, and how charming his smile had been, and how gentle and careful he was when he handed them their very first gifted flower - the most beautiful flower they have ever seen - and they hesitate.

Do they really have a crush on Grimm? Are they allowed? They don't know. But they don't mind it.

###### 

Things change even more when Hollow sees Grimm again.

They don't leave Dirtmouth. They don't see the point, and they don't really want to either.

To them Dirtmouth is _comfortable._ It's _safe._ It's so free and open compared to the restricting confines of the Temple. Unfortunately, the Forgotten Crossroads are too small and crowded for them to move through. There are walls everywhere, and the atmosphere is too tight. They're not yet ready to journey through the tunnels any time soon.

"You have to see the Kingdom again one day, you know," Hornet would gently remind them. "A lot of things had changed while you were gone."

They know, they know. Just not right now. They can't see a Kingdom of death and decay that had been caused by their own mistakes. Not so soon.

Hornet's tongue would click - a habit she has when she hears something that displeases her - but she doesn't push, instead responding with an affectionate pat on the side of their horn. Hollow was grateful.

What she _does_ do, however, is force them to go outside for some fresh air sometimes. And that's exactly where they are right now: Sitting on the bench with Elderbug standing next to them, making polite conversation as they wait patiently for their family to return from their hunting trip down the well.

"You do not speak much, do you?" Elderbug asks them. They shake their head. "Am I correct in saying that, much like the younger bug who bares striking resemblance to you, you're a good listener?"

They nod. They like listening to people. Not too many people tended to have a conversation with them way back then.

"Very good," Elderbug says, pleased. "I have been feeling a tad bit nostalgic as of late, and as an old, aging bug I wish to tell the young people about it."

Hollow is pretty sure that they're the older one between the two of them, but it's not like they could tell him that.

"Back a long, long time ago when this town was thriving and I was but a mere lad still clinging to the leg of my Mother, Dirtmouth was beautiful. I remember vividly the decorations that would cover the houses and the lamp posts down the street. People from all over Hallownest would fill the town with music and laughter and _life._ As a child, I didn't mind the noise back then. I hadn't developed the preference for silence and peace yet."

"But it wasn't the houses or the people that truly captivated my attention. It was the _gardens._ "

Hollow perks up at that despite not visibly moving at all. They stare at him with a bit more intensity.

"The gardens," Elderbug continues, unaware of Hollow's sudden interest, "that were spread across Dirtmouth were magnificent. People would surround their houses with all sorts of different plants, each person competing with each other on who had the biggest and most stunning flowers in their garden. It was all in good fun, though, the "competition" being treated more as a joke than anything. But my favorite part of the gardens was how it all filled the town with _color._ So much so that it's almost unbelievably to think that this," he gestures across the town with a sweeping motion of his arm, "is what it was destined to become."

He lowers his arm and lets out a sad sigh. "I prefer the quiet now, but I do miss all the colors."

Suddenly, a very loud and sharp _DING!_ rings out from somewhere behind them.

"Oh, dear!" Elderbug starts, "my pie appears to be done! Wait here for a moment, will you, and I will bring you back a piece." And with that, he ambles towards his house.

_Gardens._

They've only seen one garden before - their Mother's garden. The last time they've been to her Gardens there were servants bustling about everywhere, and it had been extremely organized and extraordinarily enthralling. They would often go deep into the garden to spar with Dryya, the White Lady's personal knight, while their Mother herself would sit under her favorite tree, watching fondly.

They weren't allowed to go too far into her gardens because they'd eventually reach Unn's home. While Unn has never been actively hostile towards the Pale King and his people, she wasn't at all comfortable with them despite the deal that had been agreed upon which allowed Unn to keep her followers away from the King's influence in exchange for a part of her territory, which would almost immediately become the Queen's Gardens.

They hope to one day see the Queen's Gardens again, even if it is as overgrown as Hornet and Ghost claim it to be. And if they were completely honest with themself - they probably just want to reunite with their Mother. To see if she's alright, and to maybe hear her wind chime laughter once more. That would make them really happy, they think.

Their thoughts are broken when they see a shadow loom over them, and when they look up their heart jumps in their throat.

It's Grimm. He's standing with both his arms behind his back, a relaxed and handsome smile on his face while his eyes hold a hint of mischievousness in them.

"My apologies," he says, his rough voice bringing them a surprising sense of comfort. They could listen to him talk for hours. "I didn't interrupt anything important, did I?"

They shake their head, and before they could push themself off of the bench to stand up, Grimm's hand is held out in front of them. "Allow me," he offers politely. They notice he still has one arm behind his back, and they try to squash down the curious urge to look behind him.

Hollow puts their hand in his and is hit with immediate amazement.

His hand is bigger than theirs.

That isn't supposed to happen - not to Hollow at least. They've always been the bigger bug compared to anybody. They've always been taller, and stronger, and more _intimidating._

But Grimm's hand is bigger, and it's warmer, and it wraps around Hollow's like a perfect, little blanket.

Grimm helps lift them up, and as soon as they're standing he brings their hand to his face and presses a kiss to the back of it. They can tell they're blushing when their cheeks suddenly grow very, very, very cold.

_What is this feeling? What is this feeling?_

With a small, almost unnoticeable blush dusting his own face, Grimm lets go of their hand. "I've brought another present for you," he continues, quickly moving his arm and revealing what he was hiding.

It was a bouquet of flowers, wrapped together by a shimmering, dark red paper.

It wasn't just filled with one type of flower, either. It was a gorgeous array of all types of flowers - Magnolias, Chrysanthemums, Daisies, Petunias, Poppies. Forget-Me-Nots were carefully spread all over, like little tiny blue dots. When Hollow leans close to examine the bouquet further, they noticed that on each and every single flower, other than the Forget-Me-Nots, a Cherry Blossom had been meticulously placed right in the middle. It was obvious that whoever had put together this bouquet had done so with the upmost care. 

It was the most impressive bouquet they've ever seen - and they've been to plenty of weddings before. It was also the biggest: It was almost as tall as Hollow's head, and it was just as wide. It was massive.

Hollow takes it from him and, acting completely on impulse, moves to nuzzle the top of his head with their own as a way of saying "Thank you," since Ghost isn't around with their Voidspeak. If they weren't so happy at receiving the gift, they might have felt a tad bit embarrassed when they start purring as well.

They feel it more than they hear it - a deep, low, rumbling vibration coming from Grimm's body. He's chuckling.

"How affectionate," he muses, patting their mask twice in response. "I take it you like the flowers then? Divine will be pleased to hear that - the bouquet was her idea, after all. Although, _I'm_ the one who took the time to put it together for you."

They purr louder.

"I do have a question for you," Grimm says when he pulls back. Hollow stops purring, but they still feel giddy. The thought of someone caring about you to the point where they _make_ you something, or they get you anything simply because they want to, is a pure and wonderful feeling. Pure Vessel could never appreciate it, but Hollow could. They do. There's nothing stopping them from being happy, anymore. Hornet would be really happy to hear about this.

"So," Grimm begins, clapping his hands together. "For simplicity's sake, would you mind telling me what _is_ your favorite flower? If I'm to continue giving you presents, it would do me well to know what you prefer, wouldn't you agree?"

They think that if they were able to, they'd be smiling right now. They certainly feel like they are.

But they stop to think about his question. Do they have a favorite flower? Do they have a favorite _anything_ , for that matter?

They have preferences, they know that. They prefer to wear dresses, and the taste of honey over a TikTik. They prefer night to day, and Mosscreeps over anything else. They prefer to think of their Father with love, rather than resentment.

They understand _preferences,_ they have a lot of those, but they're not sure if they've ever had something that was their _favorite._ They've never thought about it before.

But... they're positive that they have a preference for _one specific_ flower out of any that they've seen so far in their life. With the bouquet still in their hand, they point towards their house. More specifically, to the side of their house, the side that has the window to their bedroom, and still sitting on sill of it on the inside is the white rose. Just as radiant, and as pristine, and as beautiful as ever.

Grimm stares at it for a moment before turning back to them, his eyes crinkling, pleased. "Splendid. Has anyone ever informed you that you're a bit of a romantic? Or you could be, if you wanted to." He smiles at Hollow, a genuine, cheeky, playful smile that almost makes their heart stop - and although neither of them know it, he could have asked anything of them then, and they would have went to the ends of the Earth to fulfill it.

A door slamming shut catches their attention, and they see Elderbug walking towards them, a plate of pie in his hands. His steps hesitate when he catches sight of Grimm, but it doesn't deter him from stopping in front of Hollow. They notice white bandages wrapped around his hands.

"I apologise," he says to Grimm. "If I had known you were going to be here I would have brought you a piece as well."

Grimm waves off his concern. "It is quite alright. I should be taking my leave soon anyhow - my precious child gets very... angry without their afternoon gummy snack, and unfortunately," he reaches in his cloak and pulls out a small container filled with something that looks very colorful and very squishy. "I have forgotten to give the snack to Brumm before I left. I assume that my Troupe is currently screaming for my help right about now." He laughs loudly then, as though he just heard a very funny joke that was never said aloud.

It's scratchy and course, an unpleasant sound that causes Elderbug to wince, but it sounds lovely to Hollow. It's just a different type of wind chime to them. They almost want to laugh, too.

"I will be going now," he says respectfully bowing to the both of them but keeping his gaze locked on Hollow when he straightens up. "I hope to see you again soon," he tells them with a wink before snapping his fingers and disappearing in a pillar of fire.

There's a short pause as the smell of smoke lingers in the air, before Elderbug shakes his head and turns to them. "I'm sorry for taking so long to return back. As you can see by the bandages on my hands, I ran into a bit of trouble: When I went to pull the pie out of the oven I forgot to put on oven mitts. I ended up searching for the blasted mitts before I remembered - I don't actually own any oven mitts! Thus, I was forced to get the pie out using nothing but my bare hands. It was really quite painful, you know. I wouldn't recommend it."

Hollow had been looking at the pie the entire time, suddenly feeling very hungry. They carefully rest the bouquet down on top of their head and in between their horns, where Ghost would usually sit, before taking the plate from Elderbug's hands.

He notices the bouquet. "Very pretty flowers," he comments. "Did that mosquito looking bug give them to you?" They nod.

_Grimm..._

The feeling in their chest grows. It is _blossoming._ Just like a flower.

###### 

Hollow wants to give Grimm a present.

He's given them two gifts so far, and for the first time ever they want to give one back in return, especially now that they no longer have to pretend to not care.

The only problem is figuring out _what_ they should give him. They're not exactly quite sure what sort of things he likes - he's one of the most mysterious bugs they've ever met before, if they had to be honest. They know his aesthetic well, they know the flames that calls to his heart well, and they know the power he holds from being born from the universe as a god well, but they don't know _him_ well. If they were going to give him a gift, they want it to be just as thoughtful and just as caring as the gifts he had given them. They were having trouble thinking of ideas, and whenever they have a problem the most logical solution that they can think to do is go straight to their sister for help.

"Well," Hornet starts, sitting on the floor next to them with Ghost resting in her lap. "Do you happen to know what he likes?"

"Fire!" Ghost answers immediately.

"Yes, but Hollow can't give him fire," she replies patiently.

"Nightmares!" 

"I'm pretty sure he's the only person in the world who can give out nightmares."

"Murder!" 

"Okay, that's enough out of you," she says, playfully putting a hand over Ghost's face, smiling when they start happily thrashing around.

"Are you guys still trying to figure out what Hollow should give Grimm?" Ghoul's voice floats in the room as they walk in carrying two steaming mugs of cocoa, handing one of the mugs to Hollow before sitting down and leaning against them. Hollow purrs in thanks, slowly sipping the drink.

"Yes," Hornet sighs, absentmindedly patting Ghost's face in thought. "None of us really _know_ anything about him other than Hollow - and they don't even know what kind of gift he would like."

"Right, right," Broken nods in understanding.

Ghost looks up at Hornet and tugs at the hem of her cloak. "I want to see Grimmchild."

"Be patient, you and Hollow can both go over after we help them figure something out, okay?" she assures.

Hornet can't easily tell thanks to how blank Ghost's mask is, but it's obvious to both Hollow and Ghoul just how much they're pouting.

Ever considerate, however, they reach into their cloak and pull out a marker, proceeding to draw a frowny mouth on their mask to accurately express to her their displeasure.

"You know you could have just told me you didn't like what I said," she reminds them.

"You must see my sadness," they reply somberly.

"...Anyway," she turns her attention back to Hollow and Ghoul. "Have either of you two thought of something?"

Ghoul speaks up first. "Of course I have. No offense, but it's kind of obvious what the present should be."

"Okay, you know-it-all, what do _you_ think they should give him?"

"Grimm has given Hollow two gifts so far, right?" 

They all nod.

"And what does both of those gifts have in common?" 

"Pretty," Hollow answers automatically.

"Well, yes, sweet sibling, but what's the other thing they have in common?" 

"They're both flower-related?" Hornet guesses.

Ghoul points at her. "Exactly! Hollow should give Grimm a flower!"

"Oh! That's smart," she agrees. "But what kind of flower should they give him? I'm afraid I never really learned the names of most of them growing up - my Mother never really cared for flowers."

_**Me'hon... Nym'Pure Vessel... Deliver che's rare and precious flower to Le'mer's heart... Sacred love must bloom forth... Again!** _

A voice that sounds suspiciously like the one Great Knight who used to babysit them the most fills their head. They haven't thought about Ze'mer, or any of the Knights, in a long time, but they still remember her voice. They don't know what the "rare and precious" flower she's talking about is, though.

Hollow sees Ghoul looking around the room in confusion. Did they hear her voice, too?

Ghost stands up, wildly flapping their hands. "I know what flower!" they almost yell, sounding too excited for the frowny face still marked on their mask.

"Really? What do you have in-" but they run out of the house before Hornet can finish her sentence. They are on a mission. There is no stopping them now.

Hollow figures they should get up and follow them, but they don't move. A nap sounds just as important right now.

\---

"Make sure you're careful! This flower is very delicate!" 

Hollow is standing outside of the Troupe's tent, holding a very soft, silver, and white flower that Ghost had handed them to give to Grimm. They've never heard of a "Delicate Flower" before, but they're attuned enough with magic to feel the power pulsing through it. Their tiny sibling is always full of surprises.

"You'll be careful?" Ghost asks.

"Yes," Hollow affirms.

"You promise?" 

"Of course." 

"Have fun?" 

"Sure." 

Then Ghost reaches up with both of their arms. Hollow leans down for them, and they lovingly pat both sides of their taller sibling's mask.

"Love you!" Ghost says sweetly, a smile evident in their voice.

"I love you, too," Hollow replies before leaning back up and entering the tent.

The inside of the tent is a bit brighter than Dirtmouth is on the outside, thanks to the small, red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, and Hollow can see two figures talking in the middle of the long hallway. As they walk closer, the figures turn out to be Divine and Brumm, who stop talking when they notice them.

"Taller Vessel!" Divine calls out, waving them over. "You came to visit us!"

"Mrmm. Are you here for Master?" Brumm asks politely. They nod.

"Grimm will be here in a minute, so allow us to keep you company," Divine smiles.

"They don't want your company," Brumm says bluntly.

"You are so rude!" she scolds him before turning back to Hollow. "Don't listen to him, I don't bite." Then she winks at them, flashing a devilish smile. _"Not unless you want me to."_

"Divine."

"I'm joking!" she laughs. "Of course I'm joking. You," she points at them, "are _Hollow._ And according to our Master, who is totally-not-in-love-with-anybody, that means you are off limits. Such a shame, really - you're so cute I could almost _eat_ you up."

There's a flash of red, and Divine's face pales when she spots something behind them.

"Grimm!" she greets nervously, causing Hollow to turn around. "What a lovely surprise - look who came to see you!"

Grimm looks at her with disappointment, but his eyes soften when they land on Hollow. "Such a lovely surprise indeed," he murmurs, quietly. "What brings you here, my friend? I trust my companions have been respectful," he shoots a pointed look at Divine, who seems to be captivated by the floor.

Brumm speaks up, coming to her rescue. "Yes, Master. We were just about to go to Divine's tent when the Vessel came in."

"Yes!" Divine hops on immediately. "Brumm and I were going to..." She pauses.

Grimm starts to grin, excited to hear the excuse she's trying hard to think of. "'Going to' what, Divine? Were you going to talk some more about how that Midwife woman has the world's most attractive and dangerous teeth?"

"Master!" She exclaims, slightly embarrassed. Then, she lowers her voice in a whisper. "I told you that in confidence."

He huffs a laugh. "Right, of course, how rude of me. Continue, then. Tell me what your plans were."

"We were going to, uh, make one-thousand lanterns," she lies.

"One thousand lanterns," both Grimm and Brumm deadpan in unison.

She shrugs and smiles sheepishly. "For your child?" she guesses.

There's a pause. Grimm looks unimpressed, Brumm is glaring at her with the intent to murder, and Hollow is secretly just enjoying the entire situation. It reminds them so much of their own siblings. They can't wait to tell Ghost about this later.

"Well," Grimm sighs finally, motioning towards the entrance. "Don't let me keep you two - those lanterns aren't going to make themselves."

Hollow and Grimm watch as Divine and Brumm start making their way out of the tent. "And Brumm," Grimm calls out. "Don't fume too much, now. _You_ only have to make twenty!"

The last thing they both hear before the flaps of the tents close is Divine's shrill, indignant cry.

"She's a strange one, and yet you can't help but feel fond of her." He shifts his attention back to Hollow. "Is there something you need, Hollow?"

Ignoring the way their heart stuttered when he said their name, they quickly, but cautiously, hold out the Delicate Flower to him.

His scarlet eyes widen, and Hollow's breath almost stops. They've never noticed just how... _pretty_ Grimm's eyes are. They're bright, and the softest color of red that they have ever seen. They're so much more interesting than their own eyes, which is really just two holes carved in their mask. They could stare at his eyes forever.

Very slowly, Grimm takes the flower from them, examining it closer with a look of disbelief coming across his features. "You have truly outdone yourself, my dear," amazement dripping from his voice. "I do not know how you managed to get a hold of such an impressive flower, but I am beyond delighted. You have made me really happy with this, I have no words to express my gratitude." He looks at them then, and something flashes within his eyes. A decision.

He steps closer until he's almost touching them.

He puts a hand on their shoulder, and the moon holds her breath. He leans up, kissing them on their cheek, and the stars explode. "Thank you," he whispers, as the universe itself crumbles at their feet.

The feeling is no longer just light and fuzzy - it is now warm and heavy and _alive._ It's not just in their chest anymore either; it has bloomed past that a long time ago. It's in their chest, in their arm, in their hand, and legs, and feet. It's clouding around their head, and it's coming out through their fingertips, and it's leaking out of every scar and joint and muscle and vein in their body.

It makes their entire body ache, but it's not painful. No, no, it's not painful at all, it's _wonderful._ It's _amazing,_ and _special,_ and so, so _beautiful_.

They think that maybe, just maybe, all the pain and hurt and suffering that they've endured for so long might have been worth it, if only so they can keep experiencing this feeling forever. For eternity.

They have a _crush._ They never thought they'd see the day.

_**Me'hon... Che' shall rest again...** _

###### 

It's late at night when they run into Grimm, completely on accident.

They leave their house sometimes as their siblings sleep. Not for any reason in particular, especially because Dirtmouth looks the same whether it's day or night, but because the air is colder and a lot more refreshing, sometimes they just need to clear their head of anything.

Tonight was such a night when they walked outside, not getting too far before they see something they didn't expect.

Grimm is sitting on the bench, looking down at the ground, clearly deep in thought. Normally Hollow would go back inside, or walk down towards the Graveyard instead, anything other than bothering someone whose body language obviously states that he does not wish to be bothered at the moment.

But Hollow is concerned, and they care about him, and they want to help in any way they can. So they throw all caution to the wind, literally, and walk over to the bench to sit down next to him.

Grimm doesn't turn away, but he doesn't turn to look at them either. He doesn't really do anything, almost as though he hasn't noticed their appearance. He is quiet for a lot longer than Hollow would have expected him to be.

"I want to dance with you."

Hollow turns to him, but Grimm keeps resolutely staring at the floor, and being up this close has them notice the look of melancholy on his face that doesn't quite fit him.

"Us Higher Beings are a lot more similar to mortal than most people think. We have to sleep. We have to eat. We get lonely, and sad, and angry. We're basically mortals but with incredible, and sometimes devastating powers."

He glances at them before leaning his back against the bench, and turning his face towards the sky. "And we yearn for love. Some of us do, anyway. That's why you hear countless stories of Gods falling in love with so many people; whether they're another God or not doesn't really matter. Craving a certain intimacy for somebody... Wanting to cherish someone and show them the most vulnerable part of you that you shouldn't think of showing anyone else... Well, some Higher Beings aren't immune to romance." He sighs. "Not even me."

He pauses, but then Grimm smiles slightly, the corner of his eyes crinkling as he recalls a past memory. "My sister used to get crushes all the time. She was never able to act on her desires, she wasn't really a "people person", you see, so she never got too close with any of the women she was longing for, but she did tell me about it. She could go on and on for hours simply about how nice a girl she liked smelled that day. She always used to tell me that if I were to ever find someone that I fancied, she'd be there to give me all the advice that I could ever need." He laughs then, but there's no smile behind it. It comes out as a sad, sad sound. "And now here I am, yearning for someone for the first time in my life, but she's not here to fulfill her promise anymore, and I don't know what to do."

Hollow, who has been listening intently to every word, jumps a bit when Grimm finally turns his head to look at them.

"The white rose. The bouquet. Those were my attempts at courting you. So, tell me love, did it work? Did you feel the passion of the petals, or the longing in the stems? Or did you feel nothing at all, not even a whisper? I'd like to think that the flower you gave me was your attempt as well."

Grimm's expression turns to one of worry as he looks away towards the opposite end of the street, but Hollow's stomach flutters when he lays out a hand between them. An invitation.

"I want to dance with you," Grimm repeats, his voice taking a sound of softness that sharply contrasts to its natural raspy tone. "You understand the implication of what I'm asking, don't you? I wish to be with you. But I respect if you do not feel the same way."

But that's where he's wrong. Hollow does feel the same, they're sure of it. More sure of this feeling than any other emotion they've allowed themself to have in quite a while.

They reach over and grab his hand, squeezing it with as much reassurance as they could convey. Grimm stiffens, and turns to stare almost in disbelief as Hollow starts intertwining their fingers together.

"Are you sure?" He whispers, looking up directly at Hollow's face, searching for anything to tell him that they might be hesitant or uncomfortable. All he can see is the sincere dark colored blush lightly dusting their cheeks. "You don't have to do this."

They nod slowly, and pulling together as much bravery as they can, they bump the tip of their mask against his cheek in a small, shy, but determined kiss.

_I want to dance with you, too._

###### 

Grimm does not sing.

The Nightmare Flames had torched his body, and burned his voice, and while speaking doesn't hurt him, his voice has never sounded anywhere close to what it used to be like. A long amount of time had passed before he accepted his body and voice for what they are now, and made peace with himself.

But he doesn't sing anymore. He knows all the dances, all the aerobic moves, enough magic tricks to make a magician jealous - truly a "Jack-of-all-trades" character. But not a singe Troupe member can recall ever hearing Grimm sing.

Not even Brumm, his longest living and most trustworthy friend, who has been a part of the Troupe for centuries. Grimm doesn't sing. Grimm doesn't hum. When Brumm plays his accordion, Grimm listens only. Divine makes up for his silence with her own beautiful voice. Brumm wouldn't be surprised if Master never entertained a single note in his entire life.

But then Hollow came along, and they painstakingly break down his barriers, and they patiently find the key to unlocking his heart, and they settle right inside of it as thought they've always belonged there. As though there's no other place in the universe that they would ever want to be in.

And Grimm doesn't realize what they've done until one morning as they both wake up at the kiss of dawn, and Hollow snuggles closer to him, and they purr and purr and purr and Grimm is so distracted at hearing them and staring at just how _happy_ and _peaceful_ they look that he doesn't realize he's started humming a song. And not just any song - the only song he has ever really learned. The song his Mother, the God of Sleep, used to sing to him and his sister during the very rare times that she would be awake.

He catches himself and stops, wincing on the inside at how badly his voice butchered his most precious melody.

But Hollow, ever so _kind_ and _supportive_ and _observant,_ presses even closer to him, grabbing his hand and rubbing their thumb against his in their own way of comfort.

_It's okay, you don't have to stop, not around me._ The unspoken words float around in the air above them. An invitation.

And ever so slowly, ever so hesitant, ever so softly, Grimm sings for the first time in years.

**Author's Note:**

> I was actually planning on adding a few other stuff to this fic, but I didn't want to make it too extremely long. I don't like splitting up fics, and I don't like chapter fics. All you get are single fics from me, buddy.
> 
> Grimm's sister is Radiance, if you're confused.
> 
> \---
> 
> This is semi-dedicated to my friend actingwithportals!
> 
> Awp, thank you so, so, so, so, SO MUCH for indulging in this ship with me. Thank you for listening to all my headcanons, thank you for reading all of the excerpts I've sent you, thank you for being there every step of the way. Honestly, if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be posting this. You're such an amazing person and an even better friend and I'm really glad that I get to know that someone like you exists in this world! You're absolutely unbelievably fantastic! Even if you are the only person on this planet who likes my fanfic, I'll still be happy because _you_ like it. Your support means everything to me, you have no idea!
> 
> \---
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! :)


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